The military of the Philippines announced it has executed three senior militants from al-Qaeda-linked organizations in a raid in the south of the nation. On Thursday, the air raid occurred in a region known as a militant stronghold.

The BBC News reports that, "officials said two Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leaders and one Abu Sayaf leader were among a total of 15 people killed. Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, who was on the US FBI's most wanted list with a $5 million reward offered for his capture, was reported killed."

As disclosed by the military, the Islamic radicals were killed in the town of Parang on Jolo Island, Sulu province, in the Mindanao region. Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes informed Agence France Presse news agency that soldiers on the ground had confirmed the killings.

As reported by the BBC, "Marwan, a top JI leader, is said to have been behind a series of bomb attacks in the southern Philippines since 2006."

Two other senior Isliamic militants such as Jemaah Islamiyah leader Abdullah Ali, aliases Muhamda Ali or Mauwiya, and an Abu Sayef leader, Gumbahali Jumdail, alias Doc Abu, were also identified as killed by the military.